1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a surgical implement for use during a surgical operation when a cavity is formed in the anatomy of a patient. More particularly, the device pertains to a solution for problems recognized in the surgical field pertaining to provision of adequate illumination of the working region where a surgeon operates.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Attempts to provide illumination have included overhead or relatively distant fixedly mounted lights to provide general illumination, but such devices create shadows or regions of fluctuating brightness when surgeons or others present move about. Furthermore, such lights are difficult to focus to the region of operation, and are not easily adjusted as the need for illumination changes during the progress of the surgical procedure.
Other prior illuminating devices are not capable of easy sterilization by standard surgical methods, such as by passing through an autoclave. Other types of relatively high intensity lighting, such as a standard incandescent bult mounted in a conventional receptacle socket can generate excessive heat which could damage or deleteriously affect living tissues, or which are excessively bulky and inconvenient due to the requirement for a connection by means of an electrical cord to an external source of power. Moreover, no retracting function is possible with such devices.